SAS soldier Vincent Phillips was one of just a handful of men to complete selection for the Parachute Regiment, Royal Marines Commando forces and the SAS before taking part in one of the regiment's most famous operations.
Sergeant Vincent David "Vince" Phillips served with 22 SAS for eight years and was among the eight men sent behind Iraqi lines as part of the Bravo Two Zero patrol during the First Gulf War.
The mission would become one of the best-known and most controversial episodes in SAS history, but Phillips never returned home.
Here is all you need to know about his remarkable military career and his role in Bravo Two Zero
Vincent Phillips
Sergeant Vincent David “Vince” Phillips was born in Swindon, Wiltshire, in 1955.
He served with 16 Para Royal Army Ordnance Corps before joining the Royal Marine Commando Ordnance. He later passed selection for the 22nd Special Air Service Regiment (22 SAS).
Phillips was one of only a handful of soldiers to complete selection for the Parachute Regiment, Royal Marines Commando forces and the SAS.
Service with the SAS
Phillips joined 22 SAS in 1983 and served with the regiment for eight years.
During his service, he became a Special Forces operator and was attached to A Squadron and B Squadron. His time with the regiment coincided with intensive operations and deployments around the world.
Bravo Two Zero
Phillips is best known for his role in the Bravo Two Zero patrol during the First Gulf War in January 1991.
The eight-man SAS patrol was sent behind Iraqi lines to locate and monitor mobile Scud missile launchers threatening coalition forces.
The mission became one of the most famous and controversial SAS operations in modern history.
Death in Iraq
On 26 January 1991, Sgt Phillips was killed while serving behind enemy lines in Iraq during the operation.
He was aged 35 and is remembered as one of the patrol’s fallen members.
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Family and remembrance
Phillips was the husband of Dee (Deanna) and father to Sharon and Lucy.
His gravestone bears the inscription, "A light has left the world."
He is buried in St Martin’s Churchyard, Hereford, described as the spiritual home of the SAS.
Memorials dedicated to Phillips can also be found at the National Memorial Arboretum and the Allied Special Forces Memorial Grove.
His courage and sacrifice continue to be honoured by veterans, family members and members of the public.
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